Manufacture of printed paper products



April 11, 1939.

H. mnusszu. ET AL MANUFACTURE OF PRINTED PAFER PRODUCTS Fueds t. 2, 1936s Sheets-Sheet 1 II IIIII & \N

April 1939- H. M. RUSSELL ET AL 2,

MANUFACTURE OF PRINTED PAPER PRODUCTS Filed Sept. 2, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet2 A ril 11, 1939. H. M. RUSSELL ET AL 2,153,346

MANUFACTURE OF PRINTED PAPER PRODUCTS Filed Sept. 2, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet3 Patented Apr. 11, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Harlow M. Russell,Chelsea, and Melvin H. Sidebotham, West Newton, Mass.,

assignors to Specialty Automatic Machine Company, Medford, Mass., acorporation Application September 2, 1936, Serial No. 99,088

6' Claims.

The invention relates to the manufacture by automatic machinery of paperarticles such as boxes, envelopes, wrappers, labels and all paper andcardboard products which are color printedand the printing ink rapidlyset or fixed immediately prior to manufacturing operations.

This invention relates particularly to the art of high speed, largequantity production of printed paper articles. It is the practice ofproducers of such articles to use paper or cardboard which has beenmanufactured according to specification. A usual requirement of suchspecification is a prescribed amount of moisture which the material mustcontain. The reason for prescribing a definite moisture content of thepaper is that such a requirement facilitates accurate, efficient andfine quality production by permitting the paper to respond properly toprinting and fabricating operations. Should the moisture content of thepaper be too low, the paper may tend to resist the printing impression,also an insufficient moisture content may result in cracking or breakingof the paper when creasing and folding operations are performed. On theother hand, should the moisture content of the paper be too high,accurate fabrication is rendered very difficult and results in a productwhich is likely to shrink and become distorted when exposed toatmospheric conditionswhich are not artificially controlled. Themoisture content of the'paper is frequently maintained during the periodafter its manufacture and up until the time for printing andfabricating, by storing the paper in chambers wherein the temperatureand the humidity are controlled to prevent addition or reduction of themoisture content of the paper.

In the process of manufacturing printed fabricated articles by asuccession of operations, wherein the fabricating operations follow theprinting operation and wherein the printing ink must be set or fixedprior to said fabricating operations, it is necessary to apply heat toset the printed ink. Heretofore in the methods of heat setting or fixingthe printed ink, the moisture content of the paper has been greatlydisturbed, resulting in shrinking of the paper; thus causing faultyregister of the printed areas with the fabricating operations and alsorendering folding and creasing operations unsatisfactory because ofcracking or breaking of the paper. due to its dry condition after theheat drying treatments.

It has not heretofore been possible to produce printed and fabricatedarticles by a sequence of operations, wherein the printed ink is rapidlyset by heat treatment, and yet maintain the moisture content of thepaper unchanged throughout the process of manufacture.

The process and the machine hereinafter described involves the use ofquick setting printing ink containing a carrying agent which is drivenoff when the ink is subjected to air having a temperature upward of 180degrees Fahrenheit. Printing inks of this character become set orcondensed when subjected to air of a fairly high temperature, eventhough the humidity of-said air be very high.

One of the objects of our invention is to produce a method by whichprinted paper articles may be made from a'web by a succession ofoperations wherein color printing is effected and the printing inkrapidly set by the application of heat, without changing the moisturecontent I of the web of paper throughout the process of manufacture.

Another object is to provide a mechanism which will automatically printa web of paper, rapidly set the printing ink by heating means withoutdisturbing the moisture content of the paper and then fabricate the saidweb.

With said objects in view, and others hereinafter explained, ourinvention consists in the .'method and machine, substantially ashereinafter described and claimed.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the essential parts of the 'machine forcarrying out our improved method.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the machine shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows the condition of a section of the paper web as it isoperated upon in its passage through the machine.

Figure 4 is an enlarged plan view at 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is an elevation of that part of the machine illustrated inFigure 4, with a part of oven H and side frame I broken away.

Figure 6 is a section at 66 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is an enlarged view of the completed container h in flatcondition.

Figure 8 is an end view of the container shown in Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the printed paper container after ithas been opened up for use.

Similar reference characters indicate simila parts or features in all ofthe views.

Referring first to Figures 1 and 2, the different parts or members ofthe machineare mounted on suitable side frames l and 2 connected bycrossbars 3 and 4.

Mounted on shaft 5 at the feed end.- of the machine is a roll of paper 6for supplying the web a which is drawn continuously through the machineby the action of other parts of the machine to be described presently. I

A printing unit is provided for color printing the web a as it isadvanced, comprising printing rolls 1 and 8 mounted on shafts 9 and itrespectively, said shafts being journalled in. side frames I and 2.

The next unit comprises an oven ll (Figs. 1, 2, 4, 5, and. 6) supportedby side frames I and 2. The oven is provided with a vent pipe I2, andair intake openings l3. Openings I4 and I15 are provided to permitpassage of the web through said oven. A combustible gas burner Itsupported by brackets I1 mounted on side frames 2 is provided to heatthe oven to a desired temperature.

The dry bulb thermometer I8 (Figs. 4, 5 and 6) mounted within vent pipel2 automatically causes the controller l9 to operate. The saidcontroller is provided with an adjustment screw 20 which is set to causethe controller to operate when the temperature of the oven varies fromthe degree of temperature at which the oven is to be maintained. Thesaid controller I9 is electrically connected to modulating valve unit 2|and to an outside source of electric power by means of wires 22, 23 and24. Combustible gas is supplied from an outside source to supply pipe25, thence said gas passes through modulating valve unit 2| to as burnerI6. A wet bulb thermometer 26 is also mounted within vent pipe I2. Thesaid wet bulb thermometer 26 automatically causes the controller 21 tooperate when the wet bulb temperature within said vent pipe varies froma. predetermined wet bulb temperature. Adjustment screw 28 is used toset the degree of the wet bulb temperature at which the said controller21 shall operate. The said controller 21 is electrically connected tomodulating valve unit 29 and to an outside source of electric power bymeans of wires 30, 3| and 32. Steam is supplied from an outside sourceto supply pipe 33, thence the steam passes through modulating valve unit29 to steam jets 34.

The next unit comprises a pair of rolls 35 and v 36 (Figs. 1 and 2)journalled in side frames I and 2, said rolls having peripheral ribs andgrooves for adding crease lines I), c, d, and 6 (Figs. 2 and 3) to theweb a of the paper as it is advanced through the machine.

Adhesive is applied to the margin ,1; (Fig. 3) of the web a by roll 31(Figs. 1 and 2) supported by reservoir housing 38 mounted on side frameI.

The next unit comprises folding bars 39 and 40 supported by side framesI and 2 respectively.

The next unit comprises a pair of rolls 4| and 42 (Figs. 1 and 2)journalled in side frames I and 2. The upper roll 4| is provided withknives 43, which cut the folded web into sections it (Figs. 2, 3, and 7)as the web is advanced. From the rolls 4| and 42 the cut off sections hof the web pass to delivery belt 44 driven by rolls 45 journalled inside frames I and 2.

The controllers I9 and 21 and the modulating valve units 2| and 29 maybe of any suitable construction of which there are several well knowntypes.

It will be readily understood, without need of illustration, that anysuitable motor may be employed for operating the machine, and thatsuitable gearing is employed in practice to cause the various rolls torotate at uniform peripheral speed to effect the travel of the webthrough the machine, in order that the operations of the several unitsthereof will be effected in the sequence described.

In the operation of the machine the web of paper a is drawn from thesupply roll 6 and passes between cylinders 1 and 8 which effect colorprinting on the said web. The traveling web then passes into oven II forthe purpose of applying that to the web a. to rapidly .set the printingink thereon.

In the operation of the said oven, controller I9 is adjusted, by meansof screw 20, to operate when the temperature of dry bulb thermometer l8varies from the predetermined temperature required to set the printingink. When the temperature registered by the dry bulb thermometer risesabove the predetermined degree, the controller I9 is automaticallyconnected by electric devices with a motor in modulating valve unit 2|.Said motor then operating the modulating valve to diminish the flow ofcombustible gas to the burner I6, thus reducing the heat and loweringthe temperature in the oven. Conversely, when the temperature registeredby the dry bulb thermometer falls below the required degree, thecontroller I9 is automatically connected, by electric devices, withmotor in modulating valve unit 2|. The said motor operating themodulating valve to raise the flow of combustible gas to the burner I6,thus increasing the heat and raising the temperature in the oven. Theoven II is provided with devices which maintain a predetermined amountof moisture in the air within the said oven. Controller 21 is providedwith an adjustment screw 28 with which the controller 21 and themodulating valve unit 29 are regulated to maintain the desired wet bulbtemperature within the said oven I I.

The object of introducing moisture into the oven is to maintain arelative humidity of the air within the oven to substantially equal therelative humidity of the airto which the paper was previously subjected.In other words; moisture is added to the heated air within the oven toprevent shrinking of the paper while the printed ink thereon is beingset by heat treatment.

The moisture controlling devices operate in the following describedmanner: When the temperature registered by the wet bulb 26 rises abovethe predetermined degree, the controller unit 21 is automaticallyconnected by electric devices, with a motor in modulating valve unit 29.The said motor operating the modulating valve to increase the flow ofsteam or moisture to steam jets 34, thus lowering the wet bulbtemperature of the air in oven On the other hand, when the wet bulbtemperature registered by the said wet bulb thermometer 26 falls belowthe predetermined degree, the controller unit automatically connects, byelectric devices, with a motor in modulating valve unit 29. Said motoroperating the modulating valve to diminish the flow of steam to thesteam jets 34, thus permitting the wet bulb temperature to be increased.From the setting oven the printed web of paper a is advanced to passbetween rolls 35 and 36 which serve to crease paper articles.

aieaeee rolls M and 42 which cut the folded web into sections tocomplete the production of the printed The completed articles then passto delivery belt 46 from which the containers are picked up for use.

Though the invention includes the combined instrumentalities abovementioned, we wish it to be understood that we consider the means notonly combinatively novel,.but insofar as we are aware, certain of thedevices going to make up such means are new in less combinations thanthe Whole, as will more clearly appear hereinafter.

While we have shown a preferred method and machine for accomplishing thedesired results, it is evident to those skilled in the art that changesmay he made to suit the requirements of the article to be producedwithout departing from the spirit of our invention.

Having now described our invention, what we claim is:

1. The method oi malring'printed paper prod- I note, consisting ofprinting a web'of paper, ad-

vancing the printedweb to an ink setting oven, raising the temperaturein the oven to a degree sumcierit to rapidly set the printing whilemaintaining the relative humidity in the setting oven 'to' equal therelative humidity of the air outside 3. A machine for making printed.paper articles, comprising a frame, means to cause a paper web totravel, printing means, an ink setting oven, means to provide a relativehumidity of the air within said even to equal the relative humidity ofthe air atthe point where the printing operation takes place, anddevices for folding the raising the temperature in the oven above thatof the air outside of the setting oven while maintaining the relativehumidity of the air inside and outside ofthe oven substantially uniform.

6. A machine for making, printed paper articles, comprising a frame,means to cause a paper web to travel, printing means, an ink settingoven, means to raise the temperature of the air in the oven above thatof the air at the point where the printing operation takes place, and amoisture controlling device for maintaining the relative humidity of theair inside and outside of the oven substantially uniform.

HARLOW M. RUSSELL. MELVIN H. SIDEBOTHAM.

